Leg structure for pallet



May 7, 1963 L. J. Bunn 3,088,423

LEG STRUCTURE FOR PALLET Filed May 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l Erg- 16 INVENTOR. ARAP? d /K A oRNEs a www) May 7, 1963 L. J. BUDD 3,088,423

LEG STRUCTURE FOR PALLET Filed May 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. nkl/ a. 000

A 'ORNE YS May 7, 1963 L. J. BUDD 3,088,423

LEG STRUCTURE FOR PALLET Riled May 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fr 51.9 l

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A TTOP E YS United States Patent O "ce 3,088,423 LEG STRUCTURE EGR PALLET Larry J. Budd, Elmhurst, Ill., assigner to Pallet Devices Incorporated, Des Plaines, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 2%, 1961, Ser. No. 1113,49@ Claims. (Cl. 10S- 53) This invention relates generally to a load supporting structure and more particularly to a tiber or paperboard pallet.

Manufacturers of berboard pallets have been making the leg structures for their pallets integral with the pallets in the form of folded under reinforced tubes, as shown in the Larry I. Budd et al. Patent 2,507,588. The legs shown in this patent are circular and formed from spiral wound paper material. Subsequently a more economical type of leg structure for a pallet was developed, as shown in the ILarry I. Budd U.S. Patent 2,914,282. In this patent, the legs are adapted to be formed from corrugated material and rectangularly congurated.

The prior types of legs have not been entirely satisfactory for some purposes particularly where it is desired that fine particles be stored within the palletized container. The reason for this is that these tine particles fall through the leg openings.

An important feature of the present invention concerns itself with a new type of leg structure for a pallet which leg structure has means for preventing fine particles from falling through the legs so that containers having legs of this type may now be used for handling small materials, such as various types of food commodities, small machine parts, and the like.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a fiber board pallet which may be shipped in a knockdown form and readily assembled on the job, if desired.

Still Aanother object of this invention is to provide a new and improved palletized container adapted for storing small sized articles.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved method for manufacturing a pallet.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a low cost method of manufacturing a leg for a pallet.

According to the general features of this invention there is provided a load supporting pallet having a load engageable member of corrugated materials, a plurality of spaced apart rectangularly shaped corrugated pillars secured to said load engageable member, each pillar including an outer tubular element of corrugated paperboard material and an inner member of corrugated paperboard material, which clampingly engage inturned portions of said load supporting member, the inner member having a closure insert panel joined therewith and disposed in an opening in said load engageable member from which said inturned portions are turned and which panel lies in the plane of the load engageable member to carry load and to prevent goods from failing through the leg openings.

According to still other features of the present invention, the load supporting pallet is provided with pillars having truss aps engaged against an underside of said closure insert panel to support the same against displacement when the closure insert panel is subjected to load.

Still other features of the present invention relate to a method of manufacturing a load supporting pallet having integral legs including the steps of scoring a piece of corrugated material at corner areas forming a ring of tabs at each corner area, bending the tabs away from the corrugated piece leaving an Opening at each corner area, applying an outer ring over each of the rings of tabs, forming an interior ring for each leg by notching 3,058,423 Patented May 7, 1963 the margins of a corrugated piece and creasing and bending the margins of the corrugated piece forming a series of side load supporting legs and truss legs peripherally bounding a centrally located closure panel with the closure panel having a peripheral dimension approximating the size of the opening at each corner area, and inserting the thus formed interior rings through the openings at the corner areas engaging each of the closure panels with the edge delining the opening at thercorner area and engaging the supporting legs with the tabs.

Gther objects and features of the present invention will more fully become apparent in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrating therein several embodiments, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing my pallets in stacked relation to one another and each supporting a load;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a load engageable member of the pallet;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged development of an outer ring leg element;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged plan development of an inner leg element;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 2 only illustrating the tabs turned away from the load engageable;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View similar to FIGURE 5 only with the outer ring shown in assembly with the tabs;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view similar to FIGURE 6 with the inner leg member illustrated in assembly therewith;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially on the line VIII--VIII looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, as seen in FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged plan view of a modified type of inner leg member;

FIGURE l0 is a bottom plan view similar to FIG- URE 7 only illustrating the modied inner leg member of FIGURE 9 in assembly with the pallet;

FIGURE l-l is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional View taken substantially on the line XI-XI looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, as seen in FIG- URE l0; and

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view illustrating the manner in which one of the side legs is joined with the closure panel.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral -10 in FIGURE 1 indicates my pallet which is adapted to sustain a load 1-1 thereonby means of Wire straps and the like. Nested over the load 11 is a cap or cover A12.. This cap or cover 12 provides a level surface upon which another pallet and load may be maintained in stacked relation.

In order to facilitate shipping and moving of the pallet ylil and the load carried thereon, the pallet is provided with legs 13. The pallet vil() also includes a bottom panel 14. The legs 13 are adapted to maintain the bottom panel or load engaging member 14 ot of the ground surface thereby enabling the fork of a lift truck to gain entrance thereunder in the movement and shipping of the palletized structure.

The present invention is principally directed to the new and improved leg structure 13 and the manner in which the leg structure is maintained in assembly with the platform 14 or more particularly the panel or load sup: porting member 14a. The pallet 10 including the leg structure 13 is preferably made from liber or paperboard material. Excellent results may be obtained where a corrugated type of paperboard is employed.

From FIGURE yl it will be seen the cover 12 and the platform 14 are both preferably rectangular and cupshaped and formed in much the same manner. Both the cover `12 and the platform 14 lend themselves to be manufactured from a strip of paperboard and the like. The strip (not shown) is initially blanked and thereafter, side walls 15 are turned away from the blank at generally right angles. By reason of the fact certain of the side walls are cut with an extra amount of material, this material is utilized to provide flaps 16 which rnay be turned around the corner and engaged in face-to-face relation with the adjacent side wall 15. Thereafter, the ap 16 may be stapled at S or otherwise secured to the side wall 15 and it is in this manner that the rectangular cup-shaped cover 12 and platform `14 may be constructed.

At the four corners of the platform 14 or the panel v14a are cut rectangular openings defined generally by score lines and with one of the openings being shown in FIGURE 2. In the formation of each of the openings, the panel 14a is cut to provide four triangular tabs 18. The four corners of the rectangular opening may be provided With small cut openings (not shown) to diminish any likelihood of the material of the platform 14 from tearing or ripping as shown -in my prior U.S. Patent 2,914,282. After the tabs A18 have been cut out they are each bent or turned along score lines 20 generally vertically downwardly as is viewed in FIGURE 5.

The leg 13 includes an outer ring member 22 which is comprised of a strip of paperboard material that is transversely creased as indicated at 23 to divide the strip into four outer ring leg sections 24. When the strip is folded the ends of it are butt engaged and a strip of tape 25 is employed to maintain the outer ring 22 in rectangular form. The outer ring 22 may be assembled with the tabs 18 by aligning it with the tabs and pressing it over the tabs until it is bottomed against the load engageable member or base 14a, as shown in FIGURE 6.

The leg 13 also includes an inner cup-shaped member or insert member 27 which is comprised of a rectangular piece of paperboard material. A corrugated type paper may be used with excellent results. The rectangular shaped corrugated piece of material 27a is notched at opposite margins, as indicated at 28. The piece 27a is then creased or scored as indicated at 29 to provide the rectangular piece of iberboard material 27a with four side load supporting legs 30 which legs 30 peripherally bound a closure insert panel 31. While the piece of material 27a is being creased at 29, it is also creased at 32 in such a way that a pair of the side load supporting legs rare provided with truss members or truss and closure panel legs 33. In this regard it will be noted in FIGURE 4 that two of the side load supporting legs 30 are each provided with a pair of the truss legs 33 at its opposite ends.

The inner cup-shaped member 27 may be assembled by folding the legs 30 and the truss legs 33 with respect to the central insert panel 31. In this regard it will be noted the truss legs 33 are disposed inside of the side load supporting legs when the side load supporting legs are turned in angular relation to the central closure panel 31. Itis in this way that upper edges 33a of the truss legs are engaged with an underside of the closure panel 31 to reinforce the closure panel so that it may more effectively carry a load thereon and so that it may be more effectively retained in the plane of the base member 14a.

The ring 22 and the inner cup-shaped member 27 are formed with close tolerances so that they may be retained in assembly with the tabs 18 without any auxiliary means, if desired. It will be appreciated, however, that glue or staples may be used to secure the ring member 22, the tabs 18, and the cup-shaped member 27 in assembly together, if desired.

In view of the foregoing it will now be seen how the legs 13 may be constructed so that it 4is now impossible for any goods which may be contained within the container to fall through the openings in the base member 14a formed as a result of the tabs 18 being cut therefrom and turned away from the base member 14a. The closure panel 31 now precludes such goods from falling through the legs.

FIGURES 9-11 illustrate `a modied type of leg 13. The leg 13 is identical to the leg 13 except with regard to the inner cup-shaped member 31. Primed reference numerals have been employed to identify the modied components of the modified cup-shaped member 31.

The cup-shaped member 27 may be formed from a piece of corrugated paperboard, as indicated at 27a. As in the formation of the insert member 27, this insert member may be initially notched at opposite margins as indicated at 28'. It will be noted that the notches are disposed along parallel planes with respect to one another. The piece of material 27a may then be placed in a press in such 4a way that it is then creased or scored as indicated at 29', 32 and 34' to divide the piece 27a into a series of flaps or legs including the side load supporting legs 30', the truss and closure panel legs 33', and the side supporting and reinforcing legs 35. All of these legs peripherally bound a central closure panel 31. The central closure panel 31' has a peripheral dimension which corresponds generally to the dimension of the leg opening defined by the tabs 18. Where corrugated material is employed, it will be noted that the creased areas may be partially cut, as illustrated in FIGURE 12, so that the legs may be more readily bent with respect to one another to facilitate the assembly of the cup-shaped member with the other components of the leg 13'. In this regard, it will also be appreciated that if corrugated material is employed in the construction of the cup-shaped inner member 27, its creased areas may be cut in the same manner as illustrated in FIGURE l2, if desired.

The inner cup-shaped member 27 may be assembled with the other components of the leg 13 in much the same manner as previously described. In this regard it will be noted that -the truss legs 33 are all disposed within the cup defined by the closure panel 31 and its side legs 30 and 35'. These truss legs 33' have upper edges 33a' which bear against the underside of the closure panel 31' so that the closure panel 31 may carry a load and yet be retained in .the plane of the base of the pallet 14a.

As shown in FIGURE 10, two of the truss legs 33 extend diagonally of the lleg 13 while another pair of the truss legs 33 have outer ends 33b which bear against the diagonal truss legs 33 tending to maintain these legs in the diagonal position described. The ends 33h' tend to exert -an inward force against the diagonal legs 33' holding them in position. The legs 30 of the cup-shaped member 27 bear against the truss legs 33 to exert a force against the `truss legs 33' to tend to cause them to extend in angular relation across the closure panel 31', also.

The components of the leg 13' may be glued or stapled together, if desired.

It will be understood that modifications and variations m-ay be elfected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A load supporting pallet embodying therein, a load engageable member of corrugated paperboard material, a plurality of spaced apart rectangularly shaped corrugated pillars -secured to said load engageable member, each pillar including an outer tubular element of corrugated paperboard material `and an inner member of corrugated paperboard material, which clampingly engage inturned portions of said load supporting member, the inner member having a closure insert panel joined integral in one piece ltherewith and disposed in an opening in said load engageable member from which said inturned portions are turned and which panel provides a closure to prevent ygoods from falling through the leg openings.

2. A load supporting pallet embodying therein, a load engageable member of corrugated paperboard material,

a plurality of spaced apart rectangularly shaped corrugated pillars secured to said load engageable member, each pillar including an outer tubular element of corrugated paperboard material and an inner member of corrugated paperboard material, which clampingly engage inturned portions of said load supporting member, the inner member having a closure insert panel joined integral in one piece therewith and disposed in an opening in said load engageable member from which said inturned portions are turned and which panel provides a closure to prevent goods from falling through the leg openings, the inner members each having truss llaps formed integral with the ring and the closure insert panel and engaged against an underside of said closure insert panel to support the same against displacement when the closure insert panel is subjected to load.

3. In a method of manufacturing a load supporting pallet having integral legs, the steps of scoring a piece of corrugated material at corner areas forming a ring of tabs at each corner area, bending the tabs away from the corrugated piece leaving an opening at each corner area, applying -an outer ring over each of the rings of tabs, forming a ser-ies of interior rings by notching the margins of a corrugated piece and creasing and bending the margins of the corrugated piece forming a series of side load supporting legs and truss legs peripherally bounding `a. centrally located closure panel with the closure panel having a peripheral dimension approximating the size of the opening at each corner area, and inserting the interior rings through the openings at the corner areas engaging each of the closure panels with the edge defining the opening at the corner area and engaging the supporting legs with the tabs.

4. In a method of manufacturing a load supporting pallet having integral legs, the steps of scoring a piece of corrugated material at corner areas forming a ring of tabs at each corner area, bending the tabs away from the corrugated piece leaving an opening at each corner area, applying an outer ring over each of the rings of tabs, forming a series `of interior rings by notching the margins of a corrugated piece and creasing and bending the margins of the corrugated piece forming a series of side load supporting legs and truss legs peripherally bounding la centrally located closure panel with .the closure panel having a peripheral dimension approximating the size of the opening at each corner area, and inserting the interior -rings through the openings 'at the corner areas engaging each of the closure panels with the edge delining the opening at the corner area and engaging the supporting legs with the tabs, and engaging the truss legs with the underside of the closure panel for maintaining the closure panel in the plane of the opening and the piece of corrugated material.

5. In a method of manufacturing a leg on a load supporting pallet, the steps of scoring a piece of relatively rigid form-sustaining tiberboard material forming a ring of tabs, bending the tabs away from the piece leaving an opening, applying an outer ring over the ring of tabs, forming an interior ring by notching the margins of the piece and creasing and bending the margins of the piece forming a yseries of side load supporting legs and truss legs peripherally bounding la centrally located closure panel with the .closure panel having a peripheral dimension approximating the size of the opening, and inserting the interior ring through the opening engaging the closure panel with the edge defining the opening at the corner area -and engaging the supporting legs with the tabs.

6. In a method of manufacturing a leg on a load sup porting pallet, the steps of scoring a piece of relatively rigid form-sustaining berboard material forming a ring of tabs, bending the tabs -away from the piece leaving an opening, applying an outer ring over the ring of tabs, forming an interior ring by notching the margins of the piece and creasing and bending the margins of the piece forming a series 'of side load supporting legs and truss legs peripherally bounding a centrally located closure panel with the closure panel having a peripheral dimension approximating the size of the opening, and inserting the interior ring through the opening engaging the closure panel with the edge defining the opening at the corner area and engaging .the supporting legs with the tabs, and fastening the supporting legs with the tabs and with the outer ring in unitary relation.

7. In a method of manufacturing a load supporting pallet having an integral leg, the steps of scoring a piece of flberboard material forming a ring of tabs, bending the tabs away from the iberboard leaving an opening applying an outer ring over the ring of tabs, forming an interior ring by notching the opposite margins of a liberboard piece and creasing four margins and folding the four margins away from 'a central closure panel, While folding truss legs inwardly into edgewise engagement with an underside of the central closure panel, and inserting the interior rings through the opening at the corner area with the closure panel engaged with the edge defining the opening and with the supporting legs engaged with the tabs.

8. In a portable material handling pallet adapted for use in lift truck operations and embodying therein a load supporting sheet member and a plurality of supporting posts elevating said .sheet member, the sheet member hav ing a series of tabs turned away from the sheet member, the posts each having an outer ring over the tabs in engagement therewith, and a cup-shaped insert member disposed in the opening from which the tabs are turned and in assembled relation with the tabs and outer ring member with the bottom of the cup-shaped insert member being disposed in the plane of the sheet of iberboard material, the cup-shaped insert member comprising a rectangular sheet having notches at opposite margins and having creases extended about the periphery of the rectangular .sheet providing a central closure panel and peripheral side supporting legs.

9. In a portable material handling pallet adapted for use in lift truck operations and embodying therein a load supporting sheet member and a plurality of supporting posts elevating said sheet member, the sheet member having a series of tabs turned away from the sheet member, the posts each having an outer ring over the tabs in engagement therewith, and a cup-shaped insert member disposed in the opening from which the tabs are turned and in assembled relation with the tabs and outer ring member wi-th the bottom of the cup-shaped insert member being disposed in the plane of the sheet of liberboard material, the cup-shaped insert member comprising a rectangular sheet having notches at opposite margins and having creases extended about the periphery of the rectangular sheet providing a central closure panel and peripheral side supporting legs, the corner portions of the rectangular sheet providing the material for truss legs with creases disposed between the truss legs and the side supporting legs, the truss legs being engaged with an underside of the central closure panel for reinforcing the same.

10. In a portable material handling pallet adapted for use in -lift truck operations and embodying therein a load supporting sheet member and a plurality of supporting posts elevating said sheet member, the sheet member having a series of tabs turned away from the sheet member, the posts each having an outer ring over the tabs in engagement therewith, and a cup-shaped insert member disposed in the opening from which the tabs are turned an in assembled relation with the tabs and outer ring member with the bottom of the cup-shaped insert member being disposed in the plane of the sheet of berboard material, the cup-shaped insert member comprising a rectangular sheet having notches at opposite margins and having creases extended about .the periphery of the rectangular sheet providing a central closure panel and peripheral side supporting legs, each of the peripheral supporting legs having a reinforcing leg joined therewith at a crease extending parallel with the length of the associated supporting leg.

11. In a portable material handling pallet adapted for use in lift truck operations and embodying therein a load supporting sheet member and a plurality of legs elevating said sheet member, each of said legs including a ring member and a cup-shaped member in telescoped assembly together, the supporting sheet member having portions displaced from the plane of said sheet, which portions are secured with said legs, the innermost cup-shaped members each having a closure insert panel formed integral therewith and disposed in an opening in the supporting sheet from which the portions are displaced which panel provides means to prevent goods from falling through the associated leg opening.

12. In a portable material handling pallet adapted for use in lift truck operations and embodying therein a load supporting sheet member 'and a plurality of legs elevating said sheet member, each of said legs including a ring member and a cup-shaped member in telescoped assembly together, the supporting sheet member having portions displaced from the plane of said sheet, `which portions are secured with said legs, the innermost cupshaped members each having a closure insert panel formed integral therewith and disposed in an opening in the supporting sheet from which the portions are displaced which panel provides means to prevent goods from 'falling through the `associated leg opening, the cup-shaped members each being provided with truss flaps engaged against an underside of said closure insert panel to support the `same against displacement when the panel is subjected to load.

13. In a method of manufacturing a leg on a sheet of fiber board material, the steps of cutting the `sheet to form a series of tabs and turning the tabs away from the sheet, telescoping an outer ring over the tabs, cutting the corners of a piece of fiber board, and scoring the margins of the piece and turning legs away vfrom a central closure member to form a cup-shaped insert member, and inserting the cup-shaped insert member into the opening from which the tabs are turned into assembled relation and with the tabs and Vouter ring member with the bottom 8 of the cup-shaped insert member being disposed generally in the plane of the sheet of ber board material.

14. In a portable material handling pallet adapted for use in lift truck operations and embodying therein a load supporting sheet member and a plurality of supporting posts elevating said sheet member, the sheet member having la series of tabs turned away from the sheet member at spaced intervals on the sheet member, the posts each having an outer ring over the tabs in engagement therewith, and a cup-shaped insert member disposed in each of the openings from which the tabs are turned and in assembled relation with the tabs and outer ring member with the bottom of the cup-shaped insert member providing a closure for the opening to prevent articles from falling therethrough.

15. In a portable material handling pallet adapted -for use in lift truck operations and embodying therein a load supporting sheet member and a plurality of supporting posts elevating said sheet member, the sheet member having a series of tabs turned away from the sheet member at spaced intervals thereon, the posts each having an outer ring over the tabs in engagement therewith, and a cup-shaped insert member disposed in the opening from which the tabs are turned and in assembled relation with the tabs and outer ring member with the bottom of the cup-'shaped insert member providing a closure for the opening defined by said tabs to prevent material from falling therethrough, the cup-shaped insert member comprising a sheet having notches at opposite margins and having creases extended about the periphery of the sheet providing a central closure panel and peripheral side supporting legs.

References Cited Yin the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 478,049 Cooper lune 28, 1892 2,507,588 Brandon May 16, 1950 2,859,905 Choate Nov. l1, 1958 2,914,282 Budd Nov. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 779,014 Great Britain July 17, 1957 

1. A LOAD SUPPORTING PALLET EMBODYING THERIN, A LOAD ENGAGEABLE MEMBER OF CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD MATERIAL, A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART RECTANGULARLY SHAPED CURRAGTED PILLARS SECURED TO SAID LOAD ENGAGEABLE MEMBER, EACH PILLAR INCLUDING AN OUTER TUBULAR ELEMENT OF CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD MATERIAL AND AN INNER MEMBER OF CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD MATERIAL, WHICH CLAMPINGLY ENGAGE INTURNED PORTIONS OF SAID LOAD SUPPORTING MEMBER, THE INNER MEMBER HAVING A CLOSURE INSERT PANEL JOINED INTEGRAL IN ONE PIECE THEREWITH AND DISPOSED IN AN OPENING IN SAID LOAD ENGAGEABLE MEMBER FROM WHICH SAID INTURNED PORTIONS ARE TURNED AND WHICH PANEL PROVIDES A CLOSURE TO PREVENT GOODS FROM FALLING THROUGH THE LEG OPENINGS. 